Protecting Families/Resilience course for General Practitioners

This session aims to explain the concept of resilience in childhood and why it is important. It will also describe the role of families and communities in developing resilience and identify research about practice that supports the development of resilience.

Learning objectives

By the end of this session you will be able to:

• Explain the concept of resilience and describe key research findings
• Identify and describe the characteristics of resilient children and families
• List the effects of resilience on how children deal with risks and adversity
• Identify and describe forms of practice known to promote resilience, delivered at the level of individual families and the local community
• Identify and describe the role of social networks in promoting resilience

A great deal of research about resilience stems from an examination of children and families currently facing adversity, because the concept is more clearly seen in those circumstances, and arguably most needed then.

Anyone may face unexpected risks or adversity, so developing capabilities associated with resilience is important for all children.